Another adventure

It's going to be a very low mileage week compared to last week, firstly because although my knee is way better, it's still not completely OK, and could take several more days until it's a hundred percent.

Also, I'm off to Hull for work in about an hour so I'll be exploring new running routes, hopefully, over the next few days, but also with earlier starts to my day.

I did say that adventure was one of my values, didn't I.

It will be a case of a brand new place (to me), new running routes, and new people (I'll be leading workshops to 45 people I've never met before).

I think my values of fun, connection, movement and self-expression will also come in useful.

Surviving or thriving?

A gentle mile this morning again, after four miles with a group of intermediate runners last night.

I seem to have run almost thirty-four miles so far this week, with one more day to go. I don't remember when I last put in that sort of weekly mileage, and it certainly wasn't when I was doing my mile each day.

I took a tumble on the ice rink at my fourteen-year-old daughter's birthday ice skating party this afternoon, so I'm limping around with a rather sore, stiff left knee this evening.

I should be fine to hobble my mile tomorrow morning. I just hope I'm OK to do my planned fifteen miles on Sunday morning.

My challenge for this weekend, in addition to completing the fifteen miles with a bruised knee, is how to enjoy a fifteen mile solo run on roads, whilst keeping an eye on my mileage and pacing.

My last two long solo road runs have been down at the surviving end of the scale rather than up at the thriving end.

Now what could I add into the mix to inject some fun, adventure and connection?

I will leave the enquiry out there...

Magic, awe & distraction

Ran on my own this morning. Put in a fairly pacey (for me) 3 miles, which was fun. I checked a couple of times whether I was pushing myself but I wasn't. It was like I was running automatically on duracell batteries. I almost couldn't help it. Interesting.

Two thoughts came up for me on this morning's run. The first was how children so easily see magic and have a sense of awe and wonder about them. Do we just grow out of it and see reality as adults, or do we lose the ability to look with a sense of awe and to see magic, although it is still there?

I strongly suspect the latter, because every now and then I get glimpses of magic and also feel that sense of awe. It's amazingly powerful and hugely uplifting. We could all thrive rather than survive a lot easier by suspending our cynical minds and getting back in touch with magic and awe.

The other thought I had was how we usually see the quality of being distracted as a negative trait. But what if we were intent on a goal, a challenge and we were confronted by someone who could benefit from our help or assistance? Is the most positive thing to do, ignore it and keep focused on our goal or is it to allow ourselves to be distracted and lend a hand?

Human relationships are often just as important, if not more so, than the goal. So maybe the ability to be distracted is not such a bad thing?

Amazing what I think of when I'm running!

Not a lot to report

Day 77 and not a lot to report. Nicky and I extended our usual daily circuit today making it a 1.75 mile route.

Ticked off, or at least passed the baton on, 12 tasks from my to do list today, although I did scribble down a list of some 26 items this morning. I knew I would never complete all 26, so 12 is pretty good, I feel.

A trip to London tomorrow, which should be fun.

Wrong-footed shoes

I stretched my run to just over 2 miles this morning, the first time I've done that since I had plantar fasciitis and ditched my running insoles. It felt really good.

Admittedly I was a bit later this morning as I had to attend my monthly business networking group, which is always fun but does mean leaving home a lot earlier than usual.

As I was running on my own this morning and going a bit further I tried to concentrate on feeling the ground beneath my feet, which I can do a lot easier with worn down running shoes and no insoles. It made me think of the parallel with helping people to fully experience each moment of their lives through coaching rather than numbing themselves from the present moment.

Every bit of life, the highs and lows add value if we allow ourselves to raise our awareness. They all teach us lessons about how we live our lives and what is really important to us.

On the topic of worn down shoes, a guy called David Smyntek, who is a runner and physical therapist specialising in acute rehabilitation, decided to conduct an experiment to see if he really should replace his expensive running shoes every 300 to 500 miles, as the running shoe industry was telling him. So when his shoes wore down on one side he swapped shoes and continued to run 5 miles a day wearing his worn down shoes on the wrong feet. He experienced no problems whatever.

Makes you think, doesn't it.

By the way I've now run over 100 miles since the beginning of the year.

8 weeks completed

It's Nicky's and my 15th anniversary today, so lunch out, and a glass or two of wine no doubt.

I have volunteered to be part of the support team for the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon this Sunday. Apparently, I will be in the sweep car picking up any runners who are struggling and need a lift to the finish, although hopefully everyone will make it to the finish and feel justifiably proud.

It will be great to see the inspirational Kelly Holmes again. She will be starting the race, and cheering people on. She's one amazing, and incredibly nice, lady!

Nicky asked me yesterday whether I'd be able to run the half marathon now. I haven't run anything like that distance for at least a couple of years, so the answer is probably not, at least without injuring myself.

However, I am starting to feel an urge to stretch my mile a bit further, maybe just every once in a while. I'm not sure why. I suppose half the fun of my mile each day challenge is that it's a challenge.

At the moment I'm in my comfort zone, and it's usually good to stretch that comfort zone. The trick is to stretch it whilst keeping my running easy, light, smooth and FUN!

““Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a shit how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go. When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you’ll be fast.” - excerpt from Born To Run

Day 52 - fun and play

Wet and cold today. I do love this country and our variety of weather, quite often all in the same day.

This is the 4th day that I've run with Nicky on her "Run for Lent" initiative. For me running is not about competition, it is about fun and connection. When running with someone else, it is a great opportunity to share and connect, and when I run on my own it is an opportunity to connect with myself and with nature.

Sounds a bit "woo woo" I know, but running is the closest I've ever got to a meditative state. Most of my best creative ideas come to me when I'm running, particularly when it's just me and nature.

But the key for me is running should be about joy, fun and inspiration. When I get to pain, suffering and struggle, I know that I'm doing it wrong.

Sunshine and frost

A glorious morning, still cold, but just gorgeous.

Headline on this week's edition of "The Week" magazine = "Is exercise a waste of time?"

Are they having a laugh?

Surely the inspiring performance of Amy Williams last night at the Winter Olympics will inspire many, many people to get up off their backsides and just go out and get their breath flowing and their blood pumping in any way they choose.

The older I get, the more I know the power of exercise, and I'm so thankful for learning to love the joy, fun, camaraderie and energy that exercise gives you, back when I was at school.

It's got to be more effective, more powerful and certainly less damaging than anti-depressants or the way most of us choose to positively alter our mood.